RNA helicase A (RHA) is conserved in many organisms and has numerous cellular functions. Human RHA is required for RNA export from the nucleus (Tang et al. (1999) MCB 19, 3540) and the Drosophila homolog, MLE, is required for dosage compensation in male flies (Kuroda et al. (1991) Cell 66, 935). We are characterizing
tm329, a strain containing a deletion in
rha-1, the C. elegans homolog of RHA. These worms develop normally between 17-20C, but above 23C hermaphrodites accumulate oocytes in the uterus or have atrophied gonads (small, few germ cells). In males, sperm development occurs at lower temperatures but appears to be defective at 25C. Double-mutant worms,
gld-1 (
q266);
rha-1 (
tm329), were constructed since human RHA and the human homologue of GLD-1 (Sam68) interact (Reddy et al. (2000) Oncogene 19, 3570), but no epistasis or enhancement was observed in hermaphrodites between 17-25 C. We are continuing experiments to identify the relationship between RHA-1 and other known germline and spermatogenesis proteins. We are grateful to the C. elegans Gene Knockout Consortium for the
tm329 strain and to T. Schedl for the
rha-1 (
q266) strain and for helpful advice.